An attempt to help explain the mysteries and magic that are part and parcel of 'probation'.

Friday, 22 December 2017

Mad Friday

It's the last Friday before Christmas and you'll possibly be relieved to hear I can't be bothered to publish much today - but I hate leaving a blank space, so here's a reminder of what could possibly be nearer reality than most of us could ever have imagined.

25 comments:

I once thought that clip represented the Tories vision for delivering probation services, I'm now of the opinion the whole film represents the Tories vision for society.I hope the new year brings a new government.

I too dont believe the Tory vision is a very insightful or thoutful one for the future, however lets not kid ourselves that a 'new government' would be any better'. Corbyn (the cretin) doesn't have a clue either.

Another madness. Damien Green gets to keep his salary of £74,962 and receives severance pay of £17000 due to loss of his cabinet job. Anyone in the public sector who spent their work time watching porn on the works computer would be sacked and possibly loss of pension.

Ministers have come under cross-party fire in the House of Lords over "squalid" conditions at Liverpool prison.

Inmates are living in the worst conditions inspectors have ever seen, according to a report seen by the BBC. Rats and cockroaches were rife, with one area of the jail so dirty, infested and hazardous it could not be cleaned.

Ministry of Justice spokesman Lord Keen of Elie said an action plan was "urgently" being developed. Immediate action taken included the appointment of a new governor, a review of prisoner accommodation to facilitate refurbishment and urgent work to deal with the backlog of repairs, he told question time.

Labour spokesman Lord Beecham called on the government to publish the inspectors' report on the unannounced visit in September. He said the situation was "a shameful litany of squalor, sickness and apparently even death".

Lord Keen said the report will be published in January and acknowledged "very troubling matters" were raised. He said not a pound had been spent on cell accommodation since 1994.

Independent crossbencher Lord Alton of Liverpool said one of the most troubling aspects of the report was the failure to respond to the mental health needs of inmates.

Liberal Democrat Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames said the report found prisoners spending 22 hours a day in "filthy, vermin-infested cells with exposed electrical wiring and blocked, leaking lavatories". He called for a "crisis taskforce" to be set up to "turn around the dreadful conditions in our failing prisons".

Lord Keen said ministers had replaced not only the governor, but the deputy governor and the head of health care. "We intend to establish a new unit in the Prison Service to enhance our response to the recommendations of the inspector, which will involve monitoring and auditing progress of recommendations," he added.

It's alright putting ministers under fire, but the most important question isn't been asked."What is to be done with the prisoners whilst the squalid rat and cock roach infested conditions are fixed?"Just leave them there?

On Liverpool prison the report says, “We saw clear evidence that local prison managers had sought help from regional and national management to improve conditions they knew to be unacceptable long before our arrival, but had met with little response.”

Why are the real issues not debated. Forget Damien Green look closer to home. What has happened to the London Crc? New policies pertaining to maternity, leave and sickness being signed sealed and delivered. I am not permitted to take leave for more than two weeks. As a Black woman with parents many would call foreign nationals and trips to Jamaica costing more then Australia I am being discriminated against. Also told if I have elective surgery I will need to do this in my own time. Black women are more likely to go under the knife then our white counter parts so now this is a double whammy and the maternity leave policy is the bare minimum I think Tescos has a more humane and passionate policy. I hear nothing back from my Crc rep what am I paying for? S.O.S is anyone out there can anyone else help #BlackLivesMatter where is the outrage?

21:45 I take your point but it pays to actually read the policy. The policy does not say you cannot take leave for more than two weeks. It says that if you want to take more than two weeks it won’t usually get approved by your line manager so if you want to take more than two weeks you need to explain exceptional circumstances for doing so. There are many strong cases that can be made to justify exceptions. With the business under pressure they can’t afford lots of staff going off for more than two weeks especially at peak times and this policy impacts equitably on all staff whether black or white who may have family abroad and want to take their leave in one go. The policy is far from BIONIC because you know they don’t give a darn about you and your family or where you and yours come from. You might as well go talk to a brick wall.

The looser policies are Swiss cheese legacy Probation Trust policies that are being revamped and updated in line with legislation and practice in other CRCs and similar industries. They were generally seen as out of date and bloated. You are no longer working for a Trust or the public sector is nicer employers and if you don’t like what they are doing then it’s time to look for employment with a decent employer as MTCnovo certainly don’t do staff any favours and are Sharks and they are only interested in helping their mates and you clearly aren’t one of them. Welcome to the private sector.

CRCs know very well they are private companies not public sector employers such as the NPS and can do what they like as long as it is legal. They have bundles of freshly minted dosh from the MoJ and you ain’t getting a penny. The present government support employers like MTCnovo otherwise they wouldn’t have rolled out the red carpet for them and given theme a prison and the whole point of TR was to free up CRC owners to operate their CRCs more efficiently and they do so by taking away all the perks like you taking your leave when you want etc.

I expect you were out campaigning against TR with your Rep but don’t put the blame on them as they are up against an unscrupulous employer determined to give the minimum and get shot of anyone who crosses them. Their management style is ruthless so watch your back.

Happy Christmas Jim. I click on your page every morning, but as of today, disconnecting for a few days: hope you do to. I am lucky to have a job, leave from it for the week, so extra best wishes to anyone reading who working over the break, and to anyone for whom life is bleak, and Christmas a tough time.Thank you for all the work you put in on this blog, Jim, for keeping us informed, and giving us a voice. See you on the other side, Cheers

I know a lot of readers will be disconnecting and I intend to after a Christmas Eve reflection. Thanks to everyone for being part of this endeavour and I really hope we all have a good and joyful break. Cheers, Jim.

Hi JimI know it may be unpopular but how about more focus on the views of service users in 2018?After all, they are the ones also on the front line of the appalling CRCs.In fact they are ONLY on the front line.Dont they deserve some quality, genuine help and support instead of tick boxing?I feel they hold the key to exposing the CRCs. With their help it will eventually become so embarrassing that they will have to go.After all, why would you predominately listen to some CRC staff who essentially are part of the problem, some of whom should go in favor of those staff who are actually professional as part of a better system.Expose UPWExpose incompetent OMsExpose CRCs crap 'courses'Expose their law breaking, corner cuttingExpose CRCs

"I know it may be unpopular but how about more focus on the views of service users in 2018?"

I don't know why you feel such an idea would be unpopular - I think we'd all welcome the considered views of Service Users in a variety of ways, including as comment contributors or guest blog authors.

It's My Blog

Welcome to the wonderful world of probation! These are the personal thoughts of an ordinary probation officer struggling to come to terms with constant change, whilst trying to do a useful job for society. Sadly, change is so often obviously not progress. I am fully aware that my views do not represent official policy of government, my Service or possibly anyone else - but hey - it's my blog!

ATV 1962 Windsor Davies

About Me

A grumpy, disillusioned, CQSW trained, generic, main grade probation officer based in a small English town. All my contemporaries have either left, retired or been promoted. Newer colleagues simply don't understand the journey I've been on from advise, assist and befriend. (If there is anyone of similar name in the NAPO handbook, it's not me).